STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 11

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Wf»p!clv SlneV SalM. Monthly (continued?. Burnside, Wednesdays Woodlands, 2nd XhtrsAshburton, Tuesdays day Addington, Wednesdays iVyndhtm. last Thur* Walareka Railway Juno- day tlon. Tuesdays UaUour, 3rd Thursday Wallacetown, Tuesdays Thornbury, Ist Frlda/ Herlot, Thursdays Duntroon A Otautau, Fortnightly. Fr,a *7 Clinton. Thursday* ' H"**" I *.'*? 222 * r Owaka, alternate Thur- %£?£? lM .* ? T s? 7 days with Clinton OTdewile, Jast lhurs ' Balcintha, Fridays aay Gore, Tuesday* Periodically as Adver Oumarn, Tuesdays Used. Wallacetown. Tuesdays Lntnsden, Mosabuin, Monthly. Orepuki, MaUura, Palmerstou, Ist Monday Waikouaiti, HlverWinton, Ist Thursday ton, Kgapara. and Duutrocn, 2nd Friday Otago Ccutrai Sales. OTAGO. Although The temperature has fallen and prospects appear promising for rain, up till the time of. writing South Otago has not had the moisture experienced in the Oamaru district. About a quarter of an inch of rain fell in Central Otago, which i 3 little enough. If rain falls before the week is out, the root crops south would yet be saved, but the position is critical. There is no rape practically to be seen anywhere, but the turnips are still in evidence. BALCLUTHA-CLINTON STOCK SALES. About 4000 sheep were yarded at Balclutha, but the demand was very weak for stores, and few were sold. Included in the entry were some thousand "fats," which sold well. Good rape lambs were very oheap at round about 19s 6d; others from 12s. At Clinton, of the 1000 sheep penned about half were sold; best fat and forward rape lambs, 22s 6d to 245; two-tooth wethers, 22s to 255. The receipt of the schedule of the Waikato Winter Show, 1920, is herewith acknowledged. It is a stirring production, indicative of the progress and growth of the Waikato district. Challenge cups valued at 150 gs each are offered for export butter and in tho export cheese classes, while a 60gs cup awaits lifting by successful factory managers at the coming exhibition, which oppns at Hamilton on June 1 and runs till the sth. • BUKNSIDE MARKET. There was a large yarding of fat sheep at Burnside, the quality being very uneven, a considerable number being dry ewes from Central and South Otago, including some 400 small halfbreds. Prime heavy sheep were back at the opening of the sale and well on, fully 2s 6d a head compared with last sale's rates, the later salesmen having the best competition. The fact of exporters coming in at times necessarily jeTks the market, their absence resulting in temporary slacking in prices. The intermixture of "boning" sorts does not conduce to satisfactory sales at times. Besides the section set aside for "fats," about 500 stores —old ewes, mostly—were sold. "Boilers" had an innings. The number of fat lambs was fairly large. Exporters were buying, and, although not as active as the previous week, were ready enough takers of best lots at Is a head under last sale's prices. Many pennings were but secondary quality. The yarding of fat cattle was large and the quality satisfactory. Opening at about last sale's value, prices eased and sales were* made at round freezing rates. Another big entry of story cattle, about 300, elicited a slow demand. _ Boning sorts were taken at last sale's prices, but small and young steers were difficult to place. .Pew well-grown steers were forward, most of the cattle being cows, heifers, and oddments. Killable cowa sold to £lO 15s, empty heifers to £8 ss, small inferior calves from 19s. About 90 fat pigs and half as many _ small stores sold at about lato quotations, NORTH ISLAND STOCK VALUES. Although the weather generally continues rather dry in the North Island, stock business continues very fair. In the Auckland area beef at tho Westfield market touched 56s per 1001 b, forward wethers 27s to 30s.

In Povertv "Bay two-tooth wethers make from 22s to 245, four-tooth 28a, extra 30a, ewes 20s to 245, two-year-old steers £7 10s, two to three-year-olds to £l2 15s. In Taranaki fair lambs 13s, culls Bs, year and ahalf Hereford steers £7, fair three-year-olds £l2. In the Wairarapa more ram is necessary; good rape lambs 14s to 18s, twotooth wethers 24s to 275, culls from 16s, two-year-old steers £5 10s to £7 10s, three-year-olds £9 to £ll. good sorts of dairy heifers £l3 to £l7, cows to £l6. In Hawke's Bay it is far too dry and feed is disappearing; two-tooth wethers 24s to 275, extra 30s, small store lambs 14s, good 18s, culls Bs, two-tooth wethers from 22s 6d, small inferior steers, year and a-half old, £5, two and a-half £7, year and a-half Jersey cross heifers £5 to £B. ______ # STOCK NOTES. The long spell of _ weather experienced without a good soaking _ ram threatens to jeopardise one-time promising South Otago root crops The Best of them, are hanging fire, with the result that there is no life among buyers of store stock. Well-grown mixed Leicester crossbred wethers, mixed ages, in very fair order, were sold in the Buraside market at 26s to 28s 6d, a few trucks being railed out last week; but a night's good rain would witness some shillings' improvement on these prices. Fat sheep are making freezing rates, while fat lambs have been well sold lately, the first drafts not killing quite up to expectations, and early vendors for the most part secured ,d per lb better than export- buyers calculated on giving. However, having got the hang of the killing sheets, were quieter at last Burnside sale, justifiable, indeed, from the fact alone that the local works were unable to cope with the supplies on hand; In order to get quit of the lambs purchased, it was deemed advisable to consign to the Pukeuri works. In respect to store cattle, the demand likewise is dull, while big yardings rule. Fat cattle and "boaers" make freezing rates. Such cattle as are in hand at the works had in the meantime to stand a while, provision being made to feed and water them till such time as accumulations were out of hand. About 33 butchers are killing at Burnside, some 2000 head of stock bemg "outed" dailv with ordinary luck. The effect of removing restrictions on hide sales in New Zealand resulted as anticipated, prices on a paritytfwith Australia being secured, up to 22_d a pound being obtained for ox hides, and up to 22d a pound for cow hides at the first free auction sale in Auckland. For yearlings 20_d was paid and 44d for calfskin as against! 13d for top price paid during the embargo. The dispersal of stud flocks has been very, noticeable of late in Canterbury, as well as cattle and Clydesdale horses. One cannot but regret the fact of these changes. True, there is a wide diffusion of "blood" among farmers, but studrnasters are born, not made in a generation, and we can. ill spare these stalwart pioneers. Unfortunately somo Otago stud owners are not acting very dissimilarly, but thank goodness we can discern new men coming on. Fat pigs have been o?lling remarkably well in the Melbourne markets of late, the extraordinary price of £l9 5s (which is a record for Victoria) being obtained the other day for a back sow. Although a great price for a pig, it does not come up to the amount obtained in Sydney a few weeks ago—viz.: £24. The Stratford branch of the New Zealand Jersey Breeders' Association celebrated Messrs E. O'Sullivan and Son's Jersey champion,' "Sultan's Daisy," performance the other day. This cow gave 9681 b of butter-fat in 365 days under semiofficial test, not so far awav from Sophie of Hood Farm (9901 b) _ return. At the social _ function, the chairman Mr O'Sullivan, senior, a cheque for £4l 6s, the amount which Sultan's Daisy had earned in bonuses. Of this, £25 was a bonus for any cow which produced more than 8501 b butter-fat, £lO was for breaking the previous highest record, and £6 6s was for producing 6001 b of butter at over the fitandard. He also presented the gold medal of the New Zealand _ Jersey Association, whioh. had been specially inscribed with Sultan's Daisy's record. SHOW YARD TESTIMONY TO VALUE OF OOW-TESTING. A correspondent signing'himself "E. L. K.," contributes some interesting notes on the cattle classes at the recent Newmarket, County Cork, show, to the columns of the Cork Weekly Examiner. The writer lays special stress on the value of cow-testing, as instanced by the success at this show so many members of CowTesting Associations. What, asks the writer, was the principal class at the Newmarket Show? The answer is bound to bo "Class 12. —The best milking cow." Some may say horses or ponies. How many people live by horses ? How many by cows? A farmer with a few acnes can breed good cows. Can he breed extra

good horses? The farmer with good cows gets his monthly cheque. The horse breeder must wait for a few years, and then may have to sell at less than what it cost to rear him. There were nine of 10 cows on test that it would be very hard to excel in any part of the United Kingdom, but the best of an exceptionally good lot was P. J. Halliden's "Lyre Colleen Bawn," a big, red cow with a little white; a large bodied,, wedge-shaped, cow. She gave the exceptionally high yield of 301 b in 12 hours, the milk testing 4.4 per cent. She gave 321 b in the morning, and I checked it that evening, 12 hours' interval, when she gave 351 b, testing 4.4 per cent. In 1917 this cow gave 10,6321 b of milk, equal to 1030 gallons. In 1918 she gave 10,9801 b of milk> equal to 1050 gallons. She is a regular breeder, producing a living calf every 12 months. The daughter of this cow, as a two-year-old, gave 745 gallons in 45 weeks, and as a three-year-old gave 860 gallons. A yearling bull, the son of "Lyre Colleen Bawn," was awarded a premium at the Cork Spring Show, 1917, and was purchased for 55gns by Maurice Walsh, of Knockenagh, Liselton, Listowel (thje supervisor of Listowel Cow-Testing Association). The second prize-winner was T. J. Burton's "Minehill Kate," 271 b of milk, testing 4.20 per cent, butter-fat, in 12 hours, and the same owner's "Minehill Rose" gave 271 b of milk, testing 4.0 ger cent., got third prize. The three prizewinners above are registered dairy cows, proving in open fair competition that the right class of cows are being registered. "Minehill Pose" is a splendid _ type of cow,, and she should breed premium bulls. Mr Burton is hopeful of having six or seven 800 to 900 gallon cows in the verynear future. Mr T. D. Lane got fourth prize for his little Kerry cow, '"Sinn Fein." This Kerry cow gave 241 b of milk, testing 3.8 per cent, in 12 hours, a very creditable performance for a small cow. Mr O'Shea's cow gave 281 b of milk, testing 3.0 per cent. Another cow gave 23ilb, testing 2.70 per cent.; another 16_lb„ testing 3.90 per cent. Cow-testing is detective work that pays. At Newmarket Show the yield varied from 301 b down to 161 b, and the tests varied from 4.40 per cent, to 2.65 per cent, butter-fat, and the cow that gave the largest quantity gave the highest test. In Class 5, first prize went to W. O'Callaghan, ,of Scarragh, for his square shapely cow, "Keeffe II," a registered incalf dairy cow. Mr O'Callaghan is President of * the Glantane Cow-Testing Association. Second prize went to D'. O'Connor,, Copstown, an old member of the Buttevant Cow-Testing Association. _ Third prize Went to Paul Madden, of Liscarroll. Fourth prize went to T. J. 'Burton, of the Rathcoole Cow-Testing Association, for "Minehill Rose," and fifth place to P. J. HalLiden for his champion cow, "Lyre Colleen Bawn." In th e pure-bred Shorthorn bull class, D. O'Connor, Copstown, ,-rot first place for a beautiful bull, "Cloughduv Knight." Thos. O'Connor got second prize, and T. Humphreys, of LyrD, got third prize for his dairy bull,, "Bessborough Prince." In concluding, the writer says:—l would ask all farmers who are cow-testing to weigh every cow's milk yield that is milking, on every seventh day; weigh accurately and sample accurately. An inspector from the Department is paying _ surprise visits to cow-testing men, and will report fully and accurately to the Department where any case of negligence or faking or carelessness is found* It is up to every member to see that the finger of suspicion cannot be pointed to any member of a cow-testing association. Remember that one cow giving 703 gallons of milk can give as much net profit from milk as 18 cows giving 300 gallons each. KILLING OUR MEAT EXPORT TRADE. Like unto our big export coal trade, which was largely killed by the miners before the war started, by constant strikes, so will it be with our meat export trade (says the Australian "Meat Trade Journal). The various meat works companies in Queensland find year after year more and more handicaps on- their business; the big shipping companies find the delays which occur, when they send ships to Queensland ports, so irksome and expensive that it is very difficult to get ships to go there at all, particularly is this so in the case of Townsvillo, the- largest centre of the cattle freezing industry. Ships can get better and quicker dispatch, and more profitable work in other countries. If the meat works knew for a certainty that industrial peace was guaranteed for a. certain term, they could malce contracts, and compete with other countries, but iftiey do not; they never know from day to day What new demands are to be made upon them, and whether they are to be let in for a heavy loss or not. It is ulter madness on the part of the "labour" unions, and the result can only be continued unemployment and distress. Other parts of Australia

havra similar troubles, perhaps to a lesser. decree, but all rouna, it is time that the* unions were ignored, free labour employed, •and ample security given those who wish to work. The bulk of the men are sick of strife, but they are forced to obey the union bosses, and experience has ■ taught them that Government sympathy has generally been with the blatant and loafing clement, so they have to obey orders and suffer.